Corporate History

Friends First has a long and distinguished history in the Irish insurance market.

Our Timeline

1827

Friends Provident is set up by the Society of Friends (Quakers) to help orphans of school teachers.

1832

The Friends Provident Institution is founded in Yorkshire in 1832 to provide life assurance to members of the Society of Friends (Quakers). It is formed under the Friendly Societies Act, which is designed to provide security to such societies and to promote good order.

1834

The first branch of Friends Provident is set up in Ireland. Policies are sold by agents who are members of the Society of Friends and during the period 1843-1862 there are 8 active agents in Dublin and Belfast.

1915

The Friends Provident Institution Act incorporates the Institution as a mutual life assurance office and enables it to sell policies to those outside the Society of Friends for the first time.

1918

The Friends Provident Institution takes over the Century Insurance Co. Ltd. which was formed in 1885 and has branches in Dublin and Belfast. It becomes known as Friends Provident & Century Life Office, one of the larger composite (life and general insurance) offices in Ireland.

1972

Friends Provident & Century Life Office splits its branches between life and general with the establishment of 20 Friends Provident branches in the UK and Ireland and 20 Century branches for the UK.

1974

The Century (general insurance side) is sold and the office is renamed Friends Provident Life Office.